J.K. Simmons’ ‘Renegades’ Finds Surprise Success on Netflix Despite Initial Critical Panning

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A harshly criticized action thriller featuring acclaimed actor J.K. Simmons, initially released over eight years ago, has recently gained popularity on streaming platform Netflix. Titled “American Renegades” in the U.S., this production, which combines elements of “Ocean’s Eleven” and “The Expendables,” was panned by critics at its release but is now being rediscovered by action genre enthusiasts. The story revolves around a team of Navy SEALs who attempt to retrieve Nazi gold from the depths of a lake while on an undercover mission in a war zone.

Under the guidance of director Steven Quale, who has previously worked on films such as Final Destination 5 and served as a secondary unit director for Titanic and Avatar, and with a script penned by Luc Besson (Taken) and Richard Wenk (The Equalizer), Renegades features J.K. Simmons, known for his roles in Spider-Man, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Whiplash, alongside Sullivan Stapleton, Charlie Bewley, Clemens Schick, Diarmaid Murtagh. Currently, Renegades ranks second on Netflix’s top 10 list in the U.S., behind only Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz’s Back in Action. For a brief overview of the film, take a look at the official synopsis for Renegades provided below.

No Way Home, Whiplash), alongside Sullivan Stapleton, Charlie Bewley, Clemens Schick, Diarmaid Murtagh. With a spot on Netflix’s top 10 list in the U.S., just behind Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz’s Back in Action, Renegades is a must-watch for action movie enthusiasts. To learn more about the film, check out the official synopsis for Renegades below.

In a war-ravaged Europe, Navy SEALs stumble upon a gold hoard at the base of a lake, believed to be worth hundreds of millions. Compelled to aid the locals, they decide to break ranks and concoct a daring plan to retrieve the wealth and restore it to its original owners. However, when their presence is detected by the enemy, the SEALs find themselves with a tight 10-hour window to execute their perilous operation before it’s too late.

‘Renegades’ Holds a “Rotten” Score of 11%…but Sometimes an Action B-Movie Is Just What You Need

Although the action-packed film “Renegades” boasted a talented cast and an engaging storyline, it received harsh criticism upon its debut. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a dismal rating of only 11%. This means that the action-adventure movie is now infamous for having a large, unsightly blemish next to it. However, it did receive a slightly better reception from audiences, earning a score of 41% on Popcornmeter. Despite its flaws, who wouldn’t be enticed by J. K. Simmons leading an action, heist, war movie? After all, what else could one want? Unfortunately, Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com was disappointed and felt that the film’s attempt to elevate a typical B-movie into something more polished ultimately fell short.

Inexperienced creators of B-movies are attempting to peddle a polished yet empty narrative for a unique blend of genres, titled “American Renegades.” On paper, it may seem appealing, but when viewed, it becomes quite tedious.

As a cinephile, I find myself in agreement with Dennis Harvey from Variety and Ben Kenigsberg of The New York Times. They both criticize the film’s “American Renegades” portrayal as overly brash and insensitive, a kind of simplistic, jingoistic U.S. patriotism that lacks depth. To put it in simpler terms, the movie seems to be missing a touch of sophistication, as its characters and themes appear excessively macho and unrefined.

John Nugent from Empire suggests that the film is similar to Steven Soderbergh’s hit heist movie and the action-packed collaboration between Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham, stating, “Imagine if Danny Ocean and Barney Ross from The Expendables had a child, it could resemble this – but perhaps it shouldn’t?” In contrast, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian admires JK Simmons’ performance, however, he considers Renegades as being reminiscent of a television movie. He summarizes his review by stating, “There is an impressive scene where someone drives a tank off a bridge, and JK Simmons provides the film with some weight as the stern commanding officer. However, for most of the time, this feels like a mediocre TV movie.

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2025-02-03 17:32